Today was off to a slow start. Made it down to the free breakfast with 15 minutes to spare. I walked in and spotted the waffle griddle instantly! Wow... a fresh waffle for breakfast... doesn't get much better than that. I followed the directions and 5 minutes later I had that golden beauty on my plate covered with butter and syrup. It didn't have a chance. I washed it down with coffee and juice.... perfect.
I dragged all of my camera equipment in the night before to give it a quick once over. Charged batteries, downloaded pictures, cleaned lens filters and other surfaces. Even cleaned the sensor on the 20D!. Packed it all into the car and headed up the "correct" way to Mount Hood.
Along the way you pass a number of small towns with interesting names: Sandy, Firwood, Cherryville, Rhodedendron and Government Camp. But my favorite was Boring, OR. I saw the Boring, OR Fire Truck taking care of business at a minor collision. Little cars and big RV's don't mix well... that's for sure!
I continued my drive and at some points you could actually see Mt. Hood. Very impressive with a cloud covered summit shaped almost like a hat. Then there's the part of the drive where you can't see the mountain at all! I did stop at Government Camp which has a ski area and a partial view of the mountain but not much to write home about.
I decided to press on to the Timberline Lodge. An historic lodge located at the base of the mountain. I pulled off at a parking area just short of the lodge and there it was.... Mt. Hood. It was kind of a let down. At this distance you could see how the snow had discolored and darkened over the warmer months. With a lack of sun, the mountain was a dark, ominous hulk of stone. I did snap some pictures of the mountain and the surrounding scenery. Will have to take a look at them on the computer to see how they came out.
At this point, it was time to head down the mountain and back to the hotel. Rain was falling off and on but nothing too heavy. The roads were fun to drive... lots of "S" turns all the way down. I needed gas and noticed a number of the stations along US 26 had pretty good prices. I found a Shell station and there was actually an attendant who filled my tank AND offered to clean my windshield! That hasn't happened in a lot of years.
I continued on back to Gresham and the safety and comfort of my hotel. Found a simple meal of chicken strips. Put my feet up and DWTS on the TV. Tomorrow.... coastal Oregon or Maybe Northern California.
Till the next time...
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Day - 15 Longview, WA to Gresham, OR
This was a short, easy drive. Arrived at the hotel shortly after lunch.... got unpacked and decided to see some local sights.
My original plan was to drive up to Mount Hood but a little mis-direction had me following another path which actually turned out quite well. I found some great twisty, turny roads... beautiful scenery and some spectacular waterfalls.... pictures to follow.
As it got later in the day, I headed back on I84 towards Gresham. Well... I guess they forgot a sign for Gresham so I ended up seeing parts of Oregon I hadn't planned on lol. I eventually got my bearings and found my way back to the hotel.
At this point, I was really starving and decided pizza was the cure. I asked for some recommendations from the front desk and was handed a list and a map. I perused the map and found what I was looking for... Wall Street Pizza!
It was right downtown Gresham located on Main St. It was like a pizzeria from the old Brooklyn neighborhood. Hand tossed pizza... brick oven.... ahhhhhhhhh! The pizza was delivered quickly and I hurried it back to the room where I devoured it in one sitting.... yum!
The rest of the night was spent watching Dancing with the Stars and some other TV I can't remember at the moment.
Till the next time...
My original plan was to drive up to Mount Hood but a little mis-direction had me following another path which actually turned out quite well. I found some great twisty, turny roads... beautiful scenery and some spectacular waterfalls.... pictures to follow.
As it got later in the day, I headed back on I84 towards Gresham. Well... I guess they forgot a sign for Gresham so I ended up seeing parts of Oregon I hadn't planned on lol. I eventually got my bearings and found my way back to the hotel.
At this point, I was really starving and decided pizza was the cure. I asked for some recommendations from the front desk and was handed a list and a map. I perused the map and found what I was looking for... Wall Street Pizza!
It was right downtown Gresham located on Main St. It was like a pizzeria from the old Brooklyn neighborhood. Hand tossed pizza... brick oven.... ahhhhhhhhh! The pizza was delivered quickly and I hurried it back to the room where I devoured it in one sitting.... yum!
The rest of the night was spent watching Dancing with the Stars and some other TV I can't remember at the moment.
Till the next time...
Day 14 - Fife (Seattle, WA) to Longview, WA
I'm slowly getting back on the road again. Progressed from a suburb of Seattle called Fife to Longview, WA. Not a long drive but progress just the same. I didn't do any real exploring per se but I did find some cool local places for food.
The afternoon of my arrival, I decided on an early dinner. Checked with the front desk and they recommended the Country Folks Deli. A very good choice for home cooked meals with a nice atmosphere and friendly service.
Polished off a grilled cheese and a bowl of beer cheese soup. Excellent choices both. Headed back to the room, put my feet up and took it easy for the rest of the evening.
Next day, the plan was to push on into Oregon. Got the car all packed up and headed down to the same area where I found the Country Folks Deli. I had spotted what looked like an old fashioned bakery the day before and decided to check it out for breakfast. The Red Rooster Bakery was like I traveled back in time when there really used to be neighborhood bakeries... not the bakery in a box located in most supermarkets these days... ugh.
All the display cases were glass with wooden frames and everything was on display for your eyes to taste. The young workers were in plain sight, stirring and mixing and kneading and shaping every delight by hand. And the wonderful aromas as they baked... I was in heaven. I walked up to the case and tried to keep my drooling under control. In the end, I selected a huge cranberry scone and a cup of English Breakfast tea. I sat myself facing the street and just enjoyed the scone and the constant stream of people going about their business in a small town called Longview, Washington. I finished my breakfast... paid my bill and I was off for Gresham, OR.
Till the next time...
The afternoon of my arrival, I decided on an early dinner. Checked with the front desk and they recommended the Country Folks Deli. A very good choice for home cooked meals with a nice atmosphere and friendly service.
Polished off a grilled cheese and a bowl of beer cheese soup. Excellent choices both. Headed back to the room, put my feet up and took it easy for the rest of the evening.
Next day, the plan was to push on into Oregon. Got the car all packed up and headed down to the same area where I found the Country Folks Deli. I had spotted what looked like an old fashioned bakery the day before and decided to check it out for breakfast. The Red Rooster Bakery was like I traveled back in time when there really used to be neighborhood bakeries... not the bakery in a box located in most supermarkets these days... ugh.
All the display cases were glass with wooden frames and everything was on display for your eyes to taste. The young workers were in plain sight, stirring and mixing and kneading and shaping every delight by hand. And the wonderful aromas as they baked... I was in heaven. I walked up to the case and tried to keep my drooling under control. In the end, I selected a huge cranberry scone and a cup of English Breakfast tea. I sat myself facing the street and just enjoyed the scone and the constant stream of people going about their business in a small town called Longview, Washington. I finished my breakfast... paid my bill and I was off for Gresham, OR.
Till the next time...
Day 8 - Spokane, WA to Seattle, WA
Hi all... sorry for the long break in entries. Last week was NOT a good week for me.
I arrived in Seattle in the late afternoon. Coming down through Snoqualamie pass was quite the adventure and then dumping out into the middle of the afternoon rush hour in downtown Seattle was enough to rattle my nerves. I finally found my way back on to I5 South and my motel de jour not too much further down the road.
Checked in and took a short nap. My stomach started gnawing at me so I went in search of food. Found a local chain sandwich shop and ordered some unappetizing selection. Ate about half of that and stowed the other half in the fridge.
I won't go into any gory details but I spent the next five days in Swedish hospital being poked, prodded, stuck and finally given my discharge papers on Sunday afternoon. I decided on a short drive for that afternoon and a night of rest. Unfortunately, I was back in the E room that evening for a related malady which has since resolved on its own!. Whew... six days lost in total. Got lots of rest but not much progress on my tour.
Tell the next time....
I arrived in Seattle in the late afternoon. Coming down through Snoqualamie pass was quite the adventure and then dumping out into the middle of the afternoon rush hour in downtown Seattle was enough to rattle my nerves. I finally found my way back on to I5 South and my motel de jour not too much further down the road.
Checked in and took a short nap. My stomach started gnawing at me so I went in search of food. Found a local chain sandwich shop and ordered some unappetizing selection. Ate about half of that and stowed the other half in the fridge.
I won't go into any gory details but I spent the next five days in Swedish hospital being poked, prodded, stuck and finally given my discharge papers on Sunday afternoon. I decided on a short drive for that afternoon and a night of rest. Unfortunately, I was back in the E room that evening for a related malady which has since resolved on its own!. Whew... six days lost in total. Got lots of rest but not much progress on my tour.
Tell the next time....
Monday, September 15, 2008
Day 7 - Bozeman, MT to Spokane, WA
Another beautiful day in Bozeman, MT. Did the usual start up tasks.... shower, dress, breakfast. Checked with the front desk on the availability of running water to wash the Vette. Maintenance man arrived and hooked me up with a hose and running water. Found a shady spot and proceeded to clean off a weeks worth of dust, dirt and grime.
Just as I was finishing up the washing, the local lawn maintenance crew showed up to mow, trim and blow. I must have moved the car 4 or more times to avoid the dust. Finished up the drying and detail spray and loaded the car up for the day's drive.
Headed out around 11:30 and proceeded to I90 west for my trip to Spokane, WA. The weather was ideal for a drive... sunny and dry. The route took me around mountains and then up and down some. Stopped at a rest stop in western Montana and met up with a few Corvettes from Minnesota. Nice to see others pursuing a similar goal.
Crossed the Continental Divide at about 7,000 feet... no snow, so that was a good thing! Proceeded through the remainder of Montana and then into a short stretch of Idaho. Mixing trucks, S turns and grades of 6% downhill can make things very interesting, so had to stay on my game the entire way.
The Couer D'alene area of Idaho was beautiful. The lake there is just gorgeous. Looks like a poss for a future trip.
Made it into Washington in short order and found my way to the Days Inn for my nights stay. I checked with the front desk agent for a dinner suggestion and he recommended the Onion. Walking distance to a local establishment... a great combination. The meal of fish and chips was excellent.
Walked back to the hotel and noticed a huge full moon low in the sky. Upon my return, I got out the camera with the big telephoto and tripod and took a few shots. Returned to the room and proceeded to unwind and make plans for tomorrow. Will be heading to the Seattle area tomorrow and a place to stay for the night.
Till the next time...
Just as I was finishing up the washing, the local lawn maintenance crew showed up to mow, trim and blow. I must have moved the car 4 or more times to avoid the dust. Finished up the drying and detail spray and loaded the car up for the day's drive.
Headed out around 11:30 and proceeded to I90 west for my trip to Spokane, WA. The weather was ideal for a drive... sunny and dry. The route took me around mountains and then up and down some. Stopped at a rest stop in western Montana and met up with a few Corvettes from Minnesota. Nice to see others pursuing a similar goal.
Crossed the Continental Divide at about 7,000 feet... no snow, so that was a good thing! Proceeded through the remainder of Montana and then into a short stretch of Idaho. Mixing trucks, S turns and grades of 6% downhill can make things very interesting, so had to stay on my game the entire way.
The Couer D'alene area of Idaho was beautiful. The lake there is just gorgeous. Looks like a poss for a future trip.
Made it into Washington in short order and found my way to the Days Inn for my nights stay. I checked with the front desk agent for a dinner suggestion and he recommended the Onion. Walking distance to a local establishment... a great combination. The meal of fish and chips was excellent.
Walked back to the hotel and noticed a huge full moon low in the sky. Upon my return, I got out the camera with the big telephoto and tripod and took a few shots. Returned to the room and proceeded to unwind and make plans for tomorrow. Will be heading to the Seattle area tomorrow and a place to stay for the night.
Till the next time...
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Day 6 - Bozeman, MT to Yellowstone Park & Return
Today was a beautiful, sunny, warm day. Got myself up and prepared for an outing to Yellowstone Park.
I decided on the US 191 route as it received several recommendations from the locals for its beautiful scenery. I started out around 10:15 and headed through town to 191 south. It starts out rather mundane... strip malls and some more strip malls. Then there's a left followed by a right turn and then it starts to get interesting!
The drive along 191 is breathtaking and fortunately, there are numerous spots to pull over and take pictures. I did this a LOT! The drive is fun with lots of curves and S turns along the way.
I finally arrived in West Yellowstone and found my way to the West Gate entry into the park. The entry fee is a little steep for a one day tour... $25... but I have to say... it was all worth it at the end of the day.
The park is enormous and my plan was to head down to Old Faithful and see what there was to see along the way. The answer to that is... a lot.
Scenery aside... my first adventure was a wildlife encounter with a small grouping of Elk. There was a male... several females... and some little ones still nursing. I took a lot of pictures. Moving on, I encountered a traffic stoppage... and strangely enough, the reason for the stoppage was a buffalo just walking down the road... not bothered by the cars or people... I had to laugh... at first look I thought it might be Sasquatch lol!
Moving on from there, I stopped at several of the parking areas near the parks numerous geothermal features. The pools are amazingly clear and deep blue in color... steam rising off their surfaces. The minerals in the water leave some very interestingly colored deposits. Then there's the geysers... little ones and medium ones... spouting up on their own schedule. The painted pot hot mud deposit was very cool... a viscous liquid boiling and popping. Then there's all of the others... some just a little puddle or a steam vent.
Back in the car and found another parking area... this time, a trail head! I have no idea what that means but a lot of people were stopping and hiking up this trail and disappearing into the distance. I figured it might be worth a short walk to see what there was to see.
Well... I found some fly fishermen, some more hot pools, a herd of buffalo and this enormous field of steaming, bubbling water. At times, the steam looked almost pink in color and then blue. I think it was the sun interacting with the steam and the ground color but it looked really cool.
I walked a little further trying to find how the people really close to the steaming pools got there. I asked another group of hikers and they told me that there was a parking area by the road that led to those pools. I was ready to turn around when they mentioned they had just returned from Fairy Falls. When I asked how far they told me 2 miles... I asked... how good is the waterfall... they said, worth the walk.
Soooooo... I continued on for what seemed like forever and finally found the waterfall... it was definitely worth the walk. The water dropped 197 (Correction from 75 - 100 thanks to Jim MacDonald) feet into a waiting pool at the bottom. Very impressive. There were a couple of crows just hanging out and they let me get close enough to take some nice pics.
Unfortunately... there was the walk back and that was a looooooonnnnnggg way to go. I finally reached the car and devoured a granola bar. I pledged... "no more walking"... car only. Then I found another parking are with more pools and geysers... I'm such a pushover. I stopped for a short walk around and then back to the car and on to Old Faithful... my original destination.
It wasn't a long drive and I pulled right in and parked. By far, it drew the most visitors. Once parked, I headed toward the geyser area... lots of people were hanging around so I assumed it was about to go. Not 5 minutes from my arrival, Old Faithful lived up to its name and shot off maybe 75 feet into the air. Very impressive.
Once done there, I headed into the old Yellowstone Lodge and found their cafeteria. I was famished from the day and that long hike. I devoured a croissant club sandwich and an excellent "Old Faithful Ale". I sat and finished the last of my ale and then decided it was time for the return trip to Bozeman.
On the way out of the park there were several other animal sightings... a buffalo and that same herd of Elk. Slowed traffic to a crawl but finally got past it and headed north to my destination for the night... the Days Inn, Bozeman.
Till tomorrow....
I decided on the US 191 route as it received several recommendations from the locals for its beautiful scenery. I started out around 10:15 and headed through town to 191 south. It starts out rather mundane... strip malls and some more strip malls. Then there's a left followed by a right turn and then it starts to get interesting!
The drive along 191 is breathtaking and fortunately, there are numerous spots to pull over and take pictures. I did this a LOT! The drive is fun with lots of curves and S turns along the way.
I finally arrived in West Yellowstone and found my way to the West Gate entry into the park. The entry fee is a little steep for a one day tour... $25... but I have to say... it was all worth it at the end of the day.
The park is enormous and my plan was to head down to Old Faithful and see what there was to see along the way. The answer to that is... a lot.
Scenery aside... my first adventure was a wildlife encounter with a small grouping of Elk. There was a male... several females... and some little ones still nursing. I took a lot of pictures. Moving on, I encountered a traffic stoppage... and strangely enough, the reason for the stoppage was a buffalo just walking down the road... not bothered by the cars or people... I had to laugh... at first look I thought it might be Sasquatch lol!
Moving on from there, I stopped at several of the parking areas near the parks numerous geothermal features. The pools are amazingly clear and deep blue in color... steam rising off their surfaces. The minerals in the water leave some very interestingly colored deposits. Then there's the geysers... little ones and medium ones... spouting up on their own schedule. The painted pot hot mud deposit was very cool... a viscous liquid boiling and popping. Then there's all of the others... some just a little puddle or a steam vent.
Back in the car and found another parking area... this time, a trail head! I have no idea what that means but a lot of people were stopping and hiking up this trail and disappearing into the distance. I figured it might be worth a short walk to see what there was to see.
Well... I found some fly fishermen, some more hot pools, a herd of buffalo and this enormous field of steaming, bubbling water. At times, the steam looked almost pink in color and then blue. I think it was the sun interacting with the steam and the ground color but it looked really cool.
I walked a little further trying to find how the people really close to the steaming pools got there. I asked another group of hikers and they told me that there was a parking area by the road that led to those pools. I was ready to turn around when they mentioned they had just returned from Fairy Falls. When I asked how far they told me 2 miles... I asked... how good is the waterfall... they said, worth the walk.
Soooooo... I continued on for what seemed like forever and finally found the waterfall... it was definitely worth the walk. The water dropped 197 (Correction from 75 - 100 thanks to Jim MacDonald) feet into a waiting pool at the bottom. Very impressive. There were a couple of crows just hanging out and they let me get close enough to take some nice pics.
Unfortunately... there was the walk back and that was a looooooonnnnnggg way to go. I finally reached the car and devoured a granola bar. I pledged... "no more walking"... car only. Then I found another parking are with more pools and geysers... I'm such a pushover. I stopped for a short walk around and then back to the car and on to Old Faithful... my original destination.
It wasn't a long drive and I pulled right in and parked. By far, it drew the most visitors. Once parked, I headed toward the geyser area... lots of people were hanging around so I assumed it was about to go. Not 5 minutes from my arrival, Old Faithful lived up to its name and shot off maybe 75 feet into the air. Very impressive.
Once done there, I headed into the old Yellowstone Lodge and found their cafeteria. I was famished from the day and that long hike. I devoured a croissant club sandwich and an excellent "Old Faithful Ale". I sat and finished the last of my ale and then decided it was time for the return trip to Bozeman.
On the way out of the park there were several other animal sightings... a buffalo and that same herd of Elk. Slowed traffic to a crawl but finally got past it and headed north to my destination for the night... the Days Inn, Bozeman.
Till tomorrow....
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Day 5 - Sturgis, SD to Bozeman, MT
This morning dawned sunny and cool. A great day for travelling. Got up and out by 10:00.
Headed onto to I90 West and completed the last of the South Dakota portion of the trip and on into Wyoming. Did a straight run through Wyoming and on into Montana. The weather was a bit iffy along the way... rain, falling temperatures and high winds. This certainly made the trip a bit more interesting! But all in all... not a bad day.
I did notice that a number of mountain ranges had snow... yes... snow... in September... at the higher altitudes. This did raise a concern because at some point, I will have to cross over those mountains to continue my trip to the west coast. I'm hoping that there will be a lower elevation option to make the crossing a little less nerve racking.
I must say that the scenery along the way was incredible. Mountains, valleys, plains... land as far as the eye could see. I've never seen anything on a scale like this before. I only wish there were more areas to stop along the way to capture some of this beauty. Hopefully there will be as I continue my trek.
I pulled into Bozeman late in the afternoon and checked into the Days Inn. Performed the usual unpack and load into room tasks. Checked with the front desk on dining options and opted for the the downtown area. Found a great restaurant, John Bozeman's Bistro. Had an excellent steak au poivre with Gorgonzola potatoes and fresh steamed veggies. It was heaven after dinners of Subway, burger and local pizza . Returned back to the Days Inn and started prep for tomorrow.
I heard enough good things about Yellowstone National Park that I will be spending an extra day here in Bozeman. Luckily I was able to keep the same room.
So, tomorrow will be spent driving down to Yellowstone and exploring its many natural wonders. Lots of picture opportunities I hope!
'Till tomorrow....
Headed onto to I90 West and completed the last of the South Dakota portion of the trip and on into Wyoming. Did a straight run through Wyoming and on into Montana. The weather was a bit iffy along the way... rain, falling temperatures and high winds. This certainly made the trip a bit more interesting! But all in all... not a bad day.
I did notice that a number of mountain ranges had snow... yes... snow... in September... at the higher altitudes. This did raise a concern because at some point, I will have to cross over those mountains to continue my trip to the west coast. I'm hoping that there will be a lower elevation option to make the crossing a little less nerve racking.
I must say that the scenery along the way was incredible. Mountains, valleys, plains... land as far as the eye could see. I've never seen anything on a scale like this before. I only wish there were more areas to stop along the way to capture some of this beauty. Hopefully there will be as I continue my trek.
I pulled into Bozeman late in the afternoon and checked into the Days Inn. Performed the usual unpack and load into room tasks. Checked with the front desk on dining options and opted for the the downtown area. Found a great restaurant, John Bozeman's Bistro. Had an excellent steak au poivre with Gorgonzola potatoes and fresh steamed veggies. It was heaven after dinners of Subway, burger and local pizza . Returned back to the Days Inn and started prep for tomorrow.
I heard enough good things about Yellowstone National Park that I will be spending an extra day here in Bozeman. Luckily I was able to keep the same room.
So, tomorrow will be spent driving down to Yellowstone and exploring its many natural wonders. Lots of picture opportunities I hope!
'Till tomorrow....
Friday, September 12, 2008
Day 4 - Rapid City, SD to Sturgis, SD
Today's blog entry will be abbreviated due to issues with connectivity in the hotel at Sturgis.
Made an early start in Rapid City, SD. Left for Mt. Rushmore around 10:30 or so. Nice drive up 16 west... lot's of curves in the road and beautiful scenery. Arrived at the monument by 11:00. Mandatory $10 parking fee... fortunately no entrance fee to the actual facility. I have to say that the Mt. Rushmore monument is quite impressive. According to some of the folks I chatted with, they've added a lot over the years. Took a LOT of pictures with both wide angle and telephoto lenses... can't wait to see how they came out.
Next stop... Crazy Horse Mountain. This is just a short drive from Mt. Rushmore. Another $10 parking fee. You can see the monument almost as soon as you drive in. It's huge... much bigger than Mt. Rushmore In fact, in the orientation video I saw, they mentioned that the Mt. Rushmore monument would fit in side Crazy Horse's head! Anyway, shortly after I arrived they announced that they would be blasting a section of the mountain in three minutes. How lucky was I!! They blew a whistle at the three minute point and then counted down from 10 seconds. I had my camera at the ready with the continuous shot option set. At 1 second I started a sequence of about 20 shots. Then the "boom" hit. What a blast! Toured the rest of the monument area and scored a piece of the rock blasted from the mountain.
Left Crazy Horse and headed off to Sturgis via Rapid City. Not a long ride. Drove through the downtown area where the famous Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is staged. Let's just say it looked like a ghost town compared to what I've seen in pictures and videos. Finally found the Super 8, checked in and called it a day. I won't bore you with the problems I encountered at the hotel but I'll think twice about staying at another Super 8 unless that's the only option.
Until tomorrow....
Made an early start in Rapid City, SD. Left for Mt. Rushmore around 10:30 or so. Nice drive up 16 west... lot's of curves in the road and beautiful scenery. Arrived at the monument by 11:00. Mandatory $10 parking fee... fortunately no entrance fee to the actual facility. I have to say that the Mt. Rushmore monument is quite impressive. According to some of the folks I chatted with, they've added a lot over the years. Took a LOT of pictures with both wide angle and telephoto lenses... can't wait to see how they came out.
Next stop... Crazy Horse Mountain. This is just a short drive from Mt. Rushmore. Another $10 parking fee. You can see the monument almost as soon as you drive in. It's huge... much bigger than Mt. Rushmore In fact, in the orientation video I saw, they mentioned that the Mt. Rushmore monument would fit in side Crazy Horse's head! Anyway, shortly after I arrived they announced that they would be blasting a section of the mountain in three minutes. How lucky was I!! They blew a whistle at the three minute point and then counted down from 10 seconds. I had my camera at the ready with the continuous shot option set. At 1 second I started a sequence of about 20 shots. Then the "boom" hit. What a blast! Toured the rest of the monument area and scored a piece of the rock blasted from the mountain.
Left Crazy Horse and headed off to Sturgis via Rapid City. Not a long ride. Drove through the downtown area where the famous Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is staged. Let's just say it looked like a ghost town compared to what I've seen in pictures and videos. Finally found the Super 8, checked in and called it a day. I won't bore you with the problems I encountered at the hotel but I'll think twice about staying at another Super 8 unless that's the only option.
Until tomorrow....
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Day 3 - Chamberlain, SD to Rapid City, SD
This morning was overcast and there was some light rain overnight so I decided not to rush my departure. Today was planned to be a light driving day with Rapid City only 200 or so miles from Chamberlain. Did the usual morning prep and breakfast at the Super 8 and got on the road about 11:00.
The drive was mostly uneventful... boring even. My original plan was to hit Rapid City and then head out to Mt. Rushmore and then the Crazy Horse monument. Seeing as the overcast skies were casting some really flat light, I didn't think I would get good pictures of the monuments. Saw some billboards and made a command decision to take a detour and see the Bad Lands of South Dakota instead.
There is a 35 mile scenic loop that leaves I90 and then brings you back to the interstate at the town of Wall. Incidentally, Wall is the proud home of Wall Drugs whose billboards I had been reading for about 350 miles! The Bad Lands are something to see. A very unique area of the country. I video taped the entire 35 mile drive and stopped numerous times to capture the surreal landscape with my Canon digital SLR. There were some great stretches of road with tight twisting turns and even a switch back or two. Love those in the Vette. The only limiting factor is the lack of guard rails and some pretty steep drop-offs. I guess they do that on purpose... makes you think!
Got back on I90 west and arrived in Rapid City fairly early in the afternoon. Checked in... played pack mule and then headed to the front desk for dinner ideas. The suggestion provided was the Colonial Inn right across the street from the hotel. Excellent choice... great buffalo burger and fries washed down with a Boddington's. Back to the hotel and some much appreciated downtime.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Day 2 - Onalaska, WI to Chamberlain, SD
Day 2 dawned cloudy in Onalaska, WI. Wake up time was 8:00 a.m. with maybe a few hits on the snooze button. Showered, dressed and headed down for the "Smart Start" breakfast at the Super 8. Found coffee, juice, danish and waffles... all happily consumed. Back to the room and packing. Hauled everything down to the Vette and carefully packed it away for another day of driving.
I left the hotel around 10:15 and headed down for a brief tour of La Crosse. Seemed to be a really nice old town with nicely restored historic buildings and lots of bars and restaurants. Also, lots of nice river views.
Headed back toward the Interstate and topped up the tank at a local gas station. Hit the Interstate at 10:40 and continued my westward trek. Crossed over the Mississippi into Minnesota and kept going.
Minnesota is pretty sparse as far as points of interest go. Lots of farm land as far as the eye can see. Made a stop for lunch at the "Blue Earth Rest Area" (finished off the Subway I had for dinner last night) and then back on the road. Only made one more stop for gas and then drove to Mitchell, SD for a look at the "Corn Palace". The facade really is made from corn cobs and corn stalks. After snapping a few pics I was back on I90 West and drove straight through to Chamberlain, SD... my designated stopping point for day 2.
Checked in and hauled everything up to the room. Found a local eatery, "Casey's Cafe", for a dinner of chicken strips and fries (I'm turning into my kids lol). Back to the room and time for relaxation.
Need to plan tomorrow nights stop somewhere near Rapid City. Will head to Mount Rushmore and possibly the Crazy Horse monument.
I left the hotel around 10:15 and headed down for a brief tour of La Crosse. Seemed to be a really nice old town with nicely restored historic buildings and lots of bars and restaurants. Also, lots of nice river views.
Headed back toward the Interstate and topped up the tank at a local gas station. Hit the Interstate at 10:40 and continued my westward trek. Crossed over the Mississippi into Minnesota and kept going.
Minnesota is pretty sparse as far as points of interest go. Lots of farm land as far as the eye can see. Made a stop for lunch at the "Blue Earth Rest Area" (finished off the Subway I had for dinner last night) and then back on the road. Only made one more stop for gas and then drove to Mitchell, SD for a look at the "Corn Palace". The facade really is made from corn cobs and corn stalks. After snapping a few pics I was back on I90 West and drove straight through to Chamberlain, SD... my designated stopping point for day 2.
Checked in and hauled everything up to the room. Found a local eatery, "Casey's Cafe", for a dinner of chicken strips and fries (I'm turning into my kids lol). Back to the room and time for relaxation.
Need to plan tomorrow nights stop somewhere near Rapid City. Will head to Mount Rushmore and possibly the Crazy Horse monument.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Day 1 - Fort Wayne, IN to Onalaska, WI
Well... the day finally arrived for my departure. I guess I just ran out of excuses lol.
The day started around 8:00 a.m. Shower, shave, dress, eat... the usual morning routine. Final packing and loading of the Vette and I was on the road by 11:15 a.m. I have to admit I was a bit apprehensive about the whole trip but once I got going it was OK.
I headed out on Indiana 30 and that took me most of the way through my home state. Jumped onto I80/90 north of Valparaiso, IN and took that through the remainder of Indiana and into Chicago and its suburbs.
I have to say that Chicago is a challenge to get through no matter what the time of day. I hit it around 2:00 p.m. and the ever present traffic didn't disappoint. And then there's the drivers! I guess the 55 mph speed limit really is justifiable. And what would a trip through a major metropolitan are be without construction! Oh... and the tolls! I could go on... lol.
Once into Wisconsin, the situation changed dramatically for the better and the rest of the ride to Onalaska, WI was uneventful. I pulled into the Super 8 close to on-time, right around 7:00 p.m. It was a long first day but now I am fed, wined and relaxing in front of the tube, recharging for day two and onto the eastern most part of South Dakota.
Till the next entry...
The day started around 8:00 a.m. Shower, shave, dress, eat... the usual morning routine. Final packing and loading of the Vette and I was on the road by 11:15 a.m. I have to admit I was a bit apprehensive about the whole trip but once I got going it was OK.
I headed out on Indiana 30 and that took me most of the way through my home state. Jumped onto I80/90 north of Valparaiso, IN and took that through the remainder of Indiana and into Chicago and its suburbs.
I have to say that Chicago is a challenge to get through no matter what the time of day. I hit it around 2:00 p.m. and the ever present traffic didn't disappoint. And then there's the drivers! I guess the 55 mph speed limit really is justifiable. And what would a trip through a major metropolitan are be without construction! Oh... and the tolls! I could go on... lol.
Once into Wisconsin, the situation changed dramatically for the better and the rest of the ride to Onalaska, WI was uneventful. I pulled into the Super 8 close to on-time, right around 7:00 p.m. It was a long first day but now I am fed, wined and relaxing in front of the tube, recharging for day two and onto the eastern most part of South Dakota.
Till the next entry...
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